Planets
How many planets (recognized by the IAU as of today) are there in our Solar System?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
What is the brightest star in the night sky?
Sirius A
Name the 3 parts of a comet
1) nucleus
2) coma
3) tail(s)
What percent of the Solar System's mass do the planets take up?
a) 1.35%
b)0.135%
c)0.0135%
How old is the universe estimated to be?
13.8-14 billion years old
The moon Titan orbits what planet?
Saturn
What neighbor galaxy will the Milky Way collide with in 4.5 billion years?
Andromeda
What two planets does the Asteroid Belt stretch between?
Mars and Jupiter
Name the 2 types/categories of planets as seen in our Solar System
1) Terrestrial/Rocky
2) Gas Giants
What year did the first person orbit Earth
1961
What is a Martian day called?
Sol
What is the most common star found in the Milky Way?
red dwarf stars
Name the 2 tails of a comet
1) dust tail
2) ion tail
Name the largest volcano in the solar system, or the celestial body it is on
Olympus Mons, Mars
Who first saw Jupiter's four largest moons?
How many moons does Mars have?
2
1) Spiral
2) Elliptical
3) Irregular
What is the name of the spherical halo of leftovers from the formation of the solar system?
The Oort Cloud
What stellar classification is the sun?
G2V
G is also acceptable
Who is known for the famous quote: "We are made of star stuff"
Carl Sagan
1. It is in orbit around the Sun.
2. It has sufficient mass to assume hydrostatic equilibrium (a nearly round shape).
3. It has “cleared the neighborhood” around its orbit.
List the 7 letter classifications for a star
O, B, A, F, G, K, M
many use the pneumonic:
"Oh Be A Fine Girl, Kiss Me!"
Describe the difference between a meteor and a meteorite
A meteor is in the earth's atmosphere, while a meteorite has impacted the earth's surface
There are many theories about the birth of our solar system. Which theory involves a passing star pulling dust and debris from the forming sun?
a) Protoplanet Hypothesis
b) Tidal Theory
c) Accretion/Nebular Theory
b) Tidal Theory (or Chamberlain-Moulton Theory) suggests that a passing star pulled dust and debris from the forming Sun, leaving a string of debris that eventually formed the planets.
In the model proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus', which object was at the center of the universe?
The Sun